New Orleans Carnival / Mardi Gras
Feb 27, 2014, 8:27 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2001
Posts: 2,925
New Orleans Carnival / Mardi Gras
For those who wish to visit New Orleans during Carnival / Mardi Gras, here's some helpful info.
Many people confuse the terms Carnival and Mardi Gras and use them interchangeably. The Carnival season always officially begins on "Twelfth Night", January 6 and runs through Mardi Gras ( Fat Tuesday). Mardi Gras is only one day, the last day, of Carnival. The start date of Carnival is always January 6, however, the date of Mardi Gras changes every year. It is dependent on the date of Easter. The date of Easter determines the date of Ash Wednesday which determines the date of Fat Tuesday (Mardi Gras).
Here are some helpful websites, some with parade schedules and maps:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Orleans_Mardi_Gras
http://www.mardigrasneworleans.com/mardi-gras-2014.html
http://www.neworleansonline.com/neworleans/mardigras/
Also for restaurant suggestions:
http://nomenu.com/?page_id=39902
There are also some parade tracker apps. Look for the ones from WWL TV or WDSU TV.
Many people confuse the terms Carnival and Mardi Gras and use them interchangeably. The Carnival season always officially begins on "Twelfth Night", January 6 and runs through Mardi Gras ( Fat Tuesday). Mardi Gras is only one day, the last day, of Carnival. The start date of Carnival is always January 6, however, the date of Mardi Gras changes every year. It is dependent on the date of Easter. The date of Easter determines the date of Ash Wednesday which determines the date of Fat Tuesday (Mardi Gras).
Here are some helpful websites, some with parade schedules and maps:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Orleans_Mardi_Gras
http://www.mardigrasneworleans.com/mardi-gras-2014.html
http://www.neworleansonline.com/neworleans/mardigras/
Also for restaurant suggestions:
http://nomenu.com/?page_id=39902
There are also some parade tracker apps. Look for the ones from WWL TV or WDSU TV.
Last edited by FLYMSY; Feb 27, 2014 at 8:36 am
Dec 3, 2014, 10:32 am
#2
Join Date: Jun 2012
Posts: 30
Hi,
Booked sort of a last minute trip for 2/13-15. We are flying in to houston to visit family and driving to NOLA to cross mardi gras off our bucket list.
It's a given that most hotels are either fully booked or charging crazy rates. Does anybody have any other suggestions on how we can make this work? I'm looking at airbnb but it's hard to choose because i'm not familiar with the area.
From the looks of it, perhaps the marigny area is ok..? what about treme? I just don't know how far we can go to be able to walk or even take public transportation to/from all the festivities.
I read somewhere that I could possibly just wait for last minute deals but I don't want to end up having to sleep in the car when we get there.
I'd appreciate some help! Thanks!
Booked sort of a last minute trip for 2/13-15. We are flying in to houston to visit family and driving to NOLA to cross mardi gras off our bucket list.
It's a given that most hotels are either fully booked or charging crazy rates. Does anybody have any other suggestions on how we can make this work? I'm looking at airbnb but it's hard to choose because i'm not familiar with the area.
From the looks of it, perhaps the marigny area is ok..? what about treme? I just don't know how far we can go to be able to walk or even take public transportation to/from all the festivities.
I read somewhere that I could possibly just wait for last minute deals but I don't want to end up having to sleep in the car when we get there.
I'd appreciate some help! Thanks!
Dec 3, 2014, 2:20 pm
#3
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: MSY (finally); previously NYC, BOS, AUH
Programs: AA EXP, 6MM; BA GLD
Posts: 17,248
Have you given thought to what you want to do with your time while in New Orleans? Is your principal goal to see the parades? Are you interested in the music clubs? The art galleries and museums? Are you of that age where your principal desire might be to get fall-down drunk on Bourbon St. and try to persuade women to expose their breasts by offering them plastic trinkets? Will you be toting young children? Answers will help me and others provide advice. Also, it would help if you have more precise locations of the airbnbs. The Marigny can be lovely and quaint, or it could be adjacent to a club pumping out music till 4am.
Dec 3, 2014, 3:49 pm
#4
Join Date: Jun 2012
Posts: 30
My husband and I (no kids) want to see the parades, eat A LOT of good food, and drink (but not the fall-down drunk you're talking about). Both in our early 30's and while interested in museums and galleries, we really don't know how much time we have for these. It's our first time so we have to do all the musts in the french quarter first, then everything else will be a bonus. We love exploring cities on foot and discovering local spots.
I was hoping to find a place that is close enough that we can walk (1 mile or less) to the quarter and back safely late at night. the ones i've been seeing on airbnb are "on the border of Mid-City off Esplanade" or a block from esplanade and broad. the one in marigny is on st ferdinand st? airbnb doesn't give exact addresses and so i can't really check street view and all that until after i've booked it and i have to rely heavily on reviews and on the general area that is being highlighted. some reviews would say you can walk easily and some would say it's not an easy walk. so there's my dilemma.
i've also been looking at places that are close to a street car stop but i saw that street cars don't run late.
I was hoping to find a place that is close enough that we can walk (1 mile or less) to the quarter and back safely late at night. the ones i've been seeing on airbnb are "on the border of Mid-City off Esplanade" or a block from esplanade and broad. the one in marigny is on st ferdinand st? airbnb doesn't give exact addresses and so i can't really check street view and all that until after i've booked it and i have to rely heavily on reviews and on the general area that is being highlighted. some reviews would say you can walk easily and some would say it's not an easy walk. so there's my dilemma.
i've also been looking at places that are close to a street car stop but i saw that street cars don't run late.
Dec 3, 2014, 8:24 pm
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2001
Posts: 2,925
Well, technically, you're going to miss Mardi Gras, if you're coming 2/13-15. Mardi is French for Tuesday, and Mardi Gras, is Tuesday, 2/17 this year. Mardi Gras is only one day of the Carnival season and is always the last day of the Carnival season.
This time of year is fairly chaotic (mostly in a good way) in NOLA, so for first-timers & based on your criteria, I'd suggest getting a hotel in the Warehouse District or Central Business District. (They're contiguous to each other.) It'll be expensive, but you'll probably be happier in the long run.
This time of year is fairly chaotic (mostly in a good way) in NOLA, so for first-timers & based on your criteria, I'd suggest getting a hotel in the Warehouse District or Central Business District. (They're contiguous to each other.) It'll be expensive, but you'll probably be happier in the long run.